Add cyber hygiene to your routine

Admittedly, when you hear the term cyber hygiene for the first time, you probably have one of two reactions: 1) You have a sudden urge to disinfect your keyboard and mouse, or 2) Personal hygiene habits come to mind.

In truth, it’s closer to the latter. Cyber hygiene generally refers to the steps that you would take to protect your devices and secure your data. The word hygiene describes the need for habits or a routine to help prevent infection and maintain wellness. Much like your personal hygiene regimen serves to keep your body healthy over time, a cyber hygiene routine is designed to preserve the health of your devices through repeated security best practices.

Why cyber hygiene is important

Unfortunately, the criminals who want to hack your devices or steal your data can be pretty clever and quite relentless. They’ll come at you and your devices in a variety of ways and on many occasions. It’s not enough to perform one-off security measures as they will only prevent breaches for so long. It’s best to form secure habits that you live by so that your data protection measures become a way of life. That’s where a solid cyber hygiene routine comes in.

Tips for a solid cyber hygiene routine

•  Ensure proper security settings within your browser(s)
•  Check website security before you click
•  Protect your IP address with a VPN
•  Install antivirus and anti-malware and update them regularly
•  Don’t overshare information on social media
•  Don’t use social login shortcuts (“login with Facebook”)
•  Practice proper password protocol
•  Back up your data
•  Wipe devices you are no longer using
•  Set updates to run automatically
•  Restart regularly

These helpful tips are provided by Digital Defense, Inc., a computer security company that works to help insure the privacy and security of our nation’s financial information.